Folding ladder



(No Model.)

D. P. SHARP.

FOLDING LADDER.

Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

VV/ JEEEEE iawW- M02LM Unurnn Snares Parent rrrca DENNIS P. SHARP, OF ITHAOA, NEW YORK.

FULDING LADDER.

@PECIFILATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,560, dated December 1, 1885.

Application filed September 7, 1885. Serial No. 176,389.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dennis P. SHARP, of Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Ladders, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of ladders which have the rounds pivoted, so as to allow the ladder to be folded in a compact manner for convenience of transportation, storage, and manipulation, the latter being more particu larly desirable in placing the ladder between the limbs of a tree.

The object of my invention is to brace the folding ladder laterally and compensate for the weakening incident to the pivoting of the rungs on the side rails; and to that end my invention consists in the combination, with the side rails connected by pivoted rungs, of truss-rods attached to the outer sides of the end portions of the side rails, and bridges projecting outward from the sides of the rails and parallel with the plane of the ladder, all as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

The invention is fully illustrated in the anneXed drawings, wherein FiguresI and II are respectively front and side views of the lad' der in position for use. Figs. III and IV are front and side views showing the ladder in its folded condition. Figs. V and VI are transverse seetions, respectively, on lines 00 x and y y, Fig. I; and Fig. VII is an enlarged side view of the bracket to which the round is pivoted.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

A A denote the side rails of the ladder. These side rails I leave as near as possible intact by applying to the inner sides thereof metal brackets a a, on which to pivot the rungs It, said brackets being fastened by screws passing through them and into the side rails, and dispense with mortising or otherwise weakening the side rails. The brackets have perforated ears, between which the ends of the rungs are pivoted and detachably connected by bolts passing through said parts. The object of making the rungs detachable is to fa- (No model.)

cilitate renewal of the same in case of breaka e.

han folding ladders of the class to which my invention pertains lack the proper lateral bracing, owing to the loose joints between the rounds and side rails. To obviate this defect without depriving the ladder of its capability of folding compactly, Iapply to the outer sides of the side rails truss-rods c 0, attached to the end portions of the side rails, andhinge on the central or intermediate part of said rails bridges b b, in such a manner as to project outward from the sides of the rails A A and parallel with the plane of the ladder, and receive across their free ends the rods 0 c, as shown in Fig. I of the drawings. When it is desired to fold the ladder for transportation or storage, the bridges b b and rods 0 0 can be folded closely against the side rails, A A, as illustrated in Fig. III of the drawings.

The ladder is braced to prevent deflections from its plane by similar folding trusses consisting of bridges d d, pivoted on the central portion of the side rails, so as to permit them to project at right angles from the plane of the ladder, and rods 6 e, attached to the end portions of the side rails at the front and back, and adapted to lie across the free ends of the braces d d, as best seen in Fig. II of the drawings. Said bridges and rods can be also folded against the side rails, A A, when desired for transportation orstorage. In order to permit of adjusting the tension of the truss-rods c and e, I form the bridges Z) andd with two or more steps, 1" r, at different distances from the hinged ends of the bridges, which steps serve as bearings for the truss-rods, and by shifting said rods from one step to another farther from the hinged ends of the bridges the tensionon said rods is increased.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with the side rails, A A, connect-ed by pivoted rungs It R, of the truss rods 0 0, attached to the outer sides of the end portions of the rails A A, and the bridges b b, projecting outward from the sides of the rails and parallel with the plane of the ladder, substantially as described and shown.

2. In combination with the side rails, A A,

and truss-rods c 0, the bridges b b, pivoted on the side rails to project laterally therefrom and fold closely against the sides of the same, and provided with two or more bearings for 5 the truss-rods at different distances from the hinged ends of the bridges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name and afiixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting Witnesses, at Syracuse, in the IO county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 17th day of August, 1885.

DENNIS P. SHARP. [L. s] Witnesses:

FREDERICK H. GIBBS, (J. BEN-DIXON. 

